Prioritize important information by making a mail organizer from a cupboard door

The key to organization in the home is often combining efforts that are designed to make life simple and seamless on a daily basis. Sorting the mail is one of those activities that can easily get lost in the shuffle of life, making a real mess of things when it comes to getting bills paid on time. When it's clearly time to reorganize and prioritize important information, start by creating a space that’s dedicated to keeping car keys, mails and more readily available at the start of every day. There’s no need to go out and purchase an organizer for this task when an old cupboard door can do the same job with just a little bit of refinishing.

Sand away the finish on a cupboard door creates a blank palette of potential for creating a mail organizer that looks as good as new. Painting the cupboard door a fresh shade of white makes it easy to incorporate the finished product on any wall and any room in the home. Once the metal mail holder is added, consider attaching a few strategically placed hooks to keep jackets and keys in place. This cupboard door mail organizer adds a touch of elegance as well as rustic appeal when it’s mounted using tarnished metal brackets. Keep it in the entryway to keep mail, keys and more always top of mind whether coming or going.

-An old cupboard door at least 15” wide
-Sawhorse (2)
-Electric sander
-P150 sanding disc
-Sanding sponge
-Large dusting brush
-Towel
-Drop cloth
-Home Decor Chalk in White Adirondack
-Large paintbrush
-Home Decor Wax
-Galvanized metal mail pocket, 12.2” x 11.6”
-Pencil
-Large hook
-Small hooks (2)
-Cordless power drill
-Screws (7)
-Wall brackets (2)

1. Position an old cupboard door face up on across two sawhorses.

2. Sand the surface of the cupboard door with an electric sander fitted with a p150 disc.

3. Sand the surface once again using a sanding sponge to reach smaller crevices and smooth the edges.

4. Remove debris after sanding with a dusting brush and wipe down the surface with a towel.

5. Place a large drop cloth on top of the sawhorses and underneath the cupboard door.

6. Paint the cupboard door in White Adirondack Home Decor Chalk.

7. Sand the edges using the sanding sponge once the paint is dry to add distressed texture. Brush away excess material once the sanding is complete.

8. Paint the cupboard using Home Decor Wax as a finish. After the wax is applied, gently wipe excess wax away with a towel.

9. Position a galvanized metal mail pocket in the center of the cupboard door and mark it’s tallest point on the door. Make sure the door is laid out horizontally and the attachment brackets at the back are at the top.

10. Place a large hook for coats to the right of the mail pocket and two smaller hooks for keys to the left. Mark attachment points for each hook with a pencil.

11. Remove the hooks and use a cordless power drill to create shallow holes at each pencil mark.

12. Replace the hooks and secure them to the cupboard door using the power drill and screws.

13. Drill a shallow hole at the top of the cupboard door where the pencil marking was placed to indicate the tallest point of the mail pocket. Secure a screw in its place and hang the mail pocket from the screw.

14. Mount the organizer on the wall in the entryway using the two metal brackets on the back. The mail pocket is perfect for letters while the large and small hooks are ideal for holding jackets and keys.